What's happening in our area this week

Thursday:

Bear Creek Music and Art Festival

Thousands of music fans will be at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park this weekend. The Bear Creek Music and Art Festival will kick off on Thursday and last through Sunday. Organizers say it will be four days of music from some of the best bands in the U.S.  For more information and artist schedule, go to www.spiritliveshere.com.

Ravishing Rachmanioff

The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra will present Ravishing Rachmaninoff beginning Thursday. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday’s show will begin at 8 p.m. You can purchase tickets at www.jaxsymphony.org or by calling 904-354-5547.

“Twelfth Night, Or What You Will”

See the Shakespearean production of “Twelfth Night or What You Will” beginning Thursday night. It will be held at the Nathan H. Wilson Center for the Arts at the Florida State College at Jacksonville South campus. The show will run through Sunday. Tickets are $10 for general public. Tickets are $5 for students and employees of the college. Thursday’s show will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday’s show will begin at 8 p.m. and Sunday’s show begins at 2 p.m. For more information, call 904-646-2222.

"Skyfall"

Another reason for James Bond fans to be excited. The new James Bond Movie is playing at the IMAX Theatre at the World Golf Hall of Fame. You can see the movie beginning Thursday, one day earlier than normal. For a list of showtimes and to purchase tickets, go to www.worldgolfimax.com/coming-soon/skyfall-the-imax-experience.

Friday:

Picnic in the Plaza

Pack a lunch and enjoy a picnic in the Plaza. Picnic in the Plaza will be held at Hemming Plaza. There will be games, magazines and plenty of fun. It will begin at 11:30 and last until 1:30 p.m.

 “Name Your Own Price” Adoption Event

If you are looking for a puppy, kitten, dog, or cat, you may find that lucky one this weekend. The “Name Your Own Price” adoption event will begin on Friday. It will be held at three locations around Jacksonville. The three locations will be the Jacksonville Humane Society on Beach Boulevard, Jacksonville Animal Care and Protective Services on Forest Street and the First Coast No More Homeless Pets on San Jose Boulevard. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The goal is to find homes for 200 homeless pets. Adopters can choose how much to donate toward the adoption of a pet.

Holiday Benefit

Hands of Jacksonville will host its third annual Holiday benefit on Friday. Eat, Drink, and Be Merry will be held at a private house located at 24652 Harbour View Drive in Ponte Vedra beginning at 5:30 p.m. Food will be catered by Ruth’s Chris, there will also be an open bar, live music and silent and live auction. Tickets are $100 per guest. For more information, call 904-280-8273.

Dr. Seuss’s “Secrets of the Deep”

Avondale Artworks will host the North American premiere of “The Cat that Changed the World” in a exhibition at the gallery on Friday and Saturday. Friday’s hours will begin at 6 p.m. and Saturday’s hours are from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and then 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. All appearances are open to the public. The collection’s curator will do a question and answer session. To RSVP, call 904-384-8797 or www.avondaleartworks.com.

Santa Arrives
Santa arrives at the Avenues Mall on Friday. He is scheduled to arrive aboard Trauma One helicopter at 5 p.m. Children can be photographed with Santa in the Center Court. The Avenues in an appointment mall for the Santa Photo Experience. The appointment link is http://TheAvenues.fullslate.com/ .

Saturday:

Ride to Remember

You can help the Wounded Warrior Project on Saturday. The Ride to Remember 2012 will be held Saturday at the V.F.W. #9 10003 on New Kings Road. Kickstands go up at 10 a.m. The ride will go to Whitey’s Fish Camp and then the scenic route to the Conch house in St. Augustine. To donate or learn more about the ride, go to www.woundedwarrior project.org.

Hike through History

Join a park ranger at the Fort George island Cultural State Park for a nature hike on Saturday. You can learn more about the history, people and places that once called the island home. The program begins at 2 p.m. at the Ribault Club. No reservations necessary and the program is free.

Jacksonville Bullies vs. New Jersey Rascals

Jacksonville’s lacrosse team will be in action on Saturday. The bullies will take on the New Jersey Rascals at the Veterans Memorial Arena beginning at 7 p.m.

Tap Dogs

The international sensation Tap Dogs is back in Jacksonville. You can see the show at the Times-Union Center on Saturday for one performance only. Tap Dogs is part dance and part rock concert. The show will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets begin at $27 and are available at www.artistseriesjax.org or call 904-632-3373.

Ride For Dreams

The 4^th annual Ride for Dreams will be held Saturday at Adamec Harley-Davidson. Registration begins at 8:30 p.m. Kickstands up at 10:30 a.m. You can register at www.ridefordreams.com.

McKenzie’s Run

Lace up your shoes and participate in McKenzie’s Run on Saturday. The 5K run/walk and 1 mile fun run will be held at Everbank Field. The 5K will start at 9:30 a.m. on Gator Bowl Boulevard.  15-year-old McKenzie Wilson died after a brief illness in 2010. This run will benefit the McKenzie Wilson Foundation. To register, go to www.mckenziesrun.org. There will be autograph signing by the ROAR Cheerleaders and Jaxson De Ville and live entertainment in the Pepsi Plaza at the post-run party.

Heekin Joint Replacement Fun Walk

Local families are invited to participate in the Heekin Joint Replacement Fun Walk on Saturday. It will begin at 9 a.m. at St. Vincent’s Medical Center Riverside. To register for the walk, go to www.1stplacesports.com.

Pirate Parade
Watch out for Pirates in St. Augustine this weekend. The Pirate Parade will be held on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. It will start and end at Francis Field. There will be traffic interruptions in the area during the parade.

Anheuser-Busch Car Show
The Anheuser-Busch brewery will host a car show this weekend. It will be held at the brewery at 111 Busch Drive on Saturday. In addition to the show featuring more than 100 classic cars, visitors can take a tour of the brewery. Food vendors will be on hand as well.  Registration will take place from 8 a.m to 10 a.m. The car show will begin at 10 a.m. And last until 3 p.m. This show benefits United Way and the Ronald McDonald House.

Justin Hines

The Jacksonville Children’s Chorus will host its fall choral concert on Saturday. The concert will feature Canadian singer-songwriter Justin Hines. It will begins t 2 p.m. at the Lazzara Performance Hall at the University of North Florida. Tickets are $25. To purchase tickets, call 904-353-1636 or go to www.jaxchildrenschorus.com.

Military Appreciation Bout

The Jacksonville Rollegirls will hold a double header on Saturday. The action begins at 6 p.m. with the River City Rat Pack vs. Savannah Derby Devils A-Team. At 8 p.m., the First Coast Fatales will take on the Savannah Derby Devils B-team. The bout will be held at the Jacksonville Ice and Sportsplex on Philips Highway. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door (cash only at the door). Children 10 and under are free. You can purchase tickets are www.jacksonville rollergirls.com or from SB Skate Co. in Jacksonville Beach. There will be discounted tickets for military personnel with a valid military ID.

Job Fair

AMI staffing will hold a Job Fair on Saturday at the ALOFT hotel on Deer Lake Drive West. It will begin at 10 a.m. and last until 2 p.m.  The staffing agency will be looking for executives, human resource coordinator, and executive administrative assistants, accounting professionals, tax professionals and account payables and receivables. For more information, call 904-730-3138 or go to Jacksonville.onsite@amistaffing.com.

Book Sale

Friends of the Library will host a book sale on Saturday. It will begin at 9 a.m. and last until 5 p.m. at the University Park Library Friends Book Warehouse on University Boulevard. If you can’t make it to the sale on Saturday, you can stop by on Sunday from noon until 5 p.m. Saturday’s special deal is $10 for a bag of books.

All of Us for Alex

The second annual All of us for Alex fundraiser will be held on Saturday. This benefit will be held at the Foundry in St. Augustine Beach beginning at 4 p.m. All proceeds go to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association in honor of Alex Fast. The 14-year-old is in need of a liver transplant. This benefit event will include a silent auction, food, beverages and entertainment.  To help with this fundraiser, call 352-348-8382.

Stop the Violence Car and Bike Show

Local families can attend the Stop the Violence Car and Bike Show on Saturday. It will be held at the Abyssinia Baptist Church beginning at 2 p.m. For more information, call 904-444-7072.

 Steve Forbert & Carrie Rodriquez

You can see Steve Forbert and Carrie Rodriquez in concert at the Ponte Vedra Concet Hall on Saturday. Forbert had his first major hit in 1979 at the age of 25 from his hometown of Meridian, MS.  Rodriquez launched her professional career in 2001 after a show at South by Southwest. The show will begin at 8 p.m. For ticket information, go to www.pvconcerthall.com or call 904-209-0399.

Stepout: Walk to Stop Diabetes

Put on your sneakers and walk to stop diabetes this weekend. The Stepout: Walk to Stop Diabetes will be held at the Riverside Arts Market beginning at 9 a.m. To register, go to www.diabetes.org/stepout Jacksonville.

Santa Arrives

Santa Claus is coming to town and making himself at home at the Orange Park Mall on Saturday. Local families are welcomed to attend Simon Kidgits Club beginning at 8:30 a.m. During the event, the mall will host a special breakfast and seasonal craft-making activities. Santa will also lead kids in a parade through the mall. Kids will also have a chance to take their picture with Santa. To find out more information about Simon Kidgits Club, go to www.simon.com.

Relay for Life
Local families are invited to participate in the 2012 Relay for Life in Fernandina Beach this weekend. Opening ceremonies will begin at noon on Saturday and run 18 hours non-stop with closing ceremonies taking place at 6 a.m. Sunday morning. There will be field games, dance troupes, karate demonstrations, and other activities taking place around the clock. The relay will be held at Yulee High School football field and this year's theme is Cancer Avengers.

Sunday:

Old City Music Festival

Come down to the St. Augustine Marketplace for some good music on Sunday. The Old City Music Festival will feature the Charlie Daniels Band, 38 Special and Craig Morgan. Tickets are available at www.oldcitymusicfest.com or at Nippers Beach Grille in Jacksonville Beach.

Monday:

Grief and Loss Support Group

Haven Hospice will host a grief and loss support group on Monday. It will be held at Allegro of Fleming Island on State Road 24 in Cedar Key. It will begin at 3 p.m. For more information, call 352-493-2333.

Tuesday:

Empty Bowls Luncheon

Take a pledge to end hunger and participate in the Empty Bowls luncheon on Tuesday. It will be held at the Prime Osborn Convention Center beginning at noon. Hundreds of decorated bowls will be on display and available for purchase. Your donation will benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank.

Heartstrings Grief and Loss Support Group

Haven Hospice will host a Heartstrings grief and loss support group on Tuesday. It will be held at the Haven Hospice office on Southpark Boulevard Suite 207 beginning at 2:30 p.m. This support group is for parents and caregivers who have lost a child. For more information, call 904-810-2377.